Try
by jakers75
Summary: Although his botanist boyfriend seems to thrive on it, Fifield's never been one for touchy-feely stuff. How does he deal with the situation, then, when he ponders the potential disconnect between him and Millburn one seemingly normal evening?


_**Hola! Here's just a bit of domestic fluff I felt like writing. I tried my best to keep them in character since I brought the two out of the movie setting, so yeah. Feedback of any kind is always welcome! Thanks for reading!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters presented in this story.**_

**:: ::**

"Ugh, but we went out _last_ weekend," Fifield growled as he looked up his spot on the couch.

"You're no fun!" Millburn said with a pout.

"Why can't we just, you know, relax?"

"But we did that the weekend before last!" Millburn looked a little put out, but he didn't seem quite as adamant as earlier.

"Let's just watch a movie and order some pizza or something," Fifield said, taking advantage of the opening. "We can even get anchovies on the pizza!"

His partner simply stood, his arms folded with a frown.

"You can pick out the movie," Fifield offered.

Millburn raised his eyebrows. He was going to have to do better than _that._

Fine. Fifield did have one card left. Since he was bereft of options, he decided it was time to play it, even though it was something he didn't take lightly.

"And we can cuddle," he relented with a sigh.

Millburn finally grinned. "Alright. I agree! I'll order dinner and you can find some choices. After all, you know what I like."

Fifield had the definite impression he'd just been played, but he hadn't left himself any room for argument. After all, they weren't going to the club again. He could never understand why his partner loved it so much.

Rolling his eyes, Fifield got up off the couch and wandered to their entertainment center. Between the two of them, they had acquired a ton of movies by now. Millburn preferred stuff that he could eat popcorn and zone out to - that generally meant lots of explosions and handsome actors. Fifield preferred horror films and, although we wouldn't admit it to anyone besides Millburn, romantic comedies. Whenever other people came over, he always scoffed at the row of Jennifer Lopez films and pretended they were Millburn's.

After a moment, he picked out a couple of new releases that they hadn't had the chance to sit down and watch yet. From his perch in the living room, he could hear Millburn talking on the phone in the kitchen. Their apartment was roomy enough to be comfortable, but small enough to where nothing could really go unheard. Millburn had been bugging him to go looking out for a bigger place (he wanted more room for plants and pets), but Fifield liked this one. It wasn't a big fuss to clean.

Then his partner went silent, and the next thing Fifield knew, Millburn was standing in the doorway.

"Think they'll get it right this time?" The geologist drawled.

"They better! I mean, how hard is it to create the perfect pepperoni-anchovy proportion?"

_Pretty damn hard._ "I'm sure they're working at it," he reassured Millburn, patting at the couch. "Now sit."

"What'd you pick out?" Millburn complied, surveying the selection Fifield had placed on the table as he sat down. "Hmm, these are alright."

"Nothing great?" Fifield tried to hide the disappointment in his voice. He thought he had nailed it this time.

"No, these are good, but if we're gonna be cuddling," Millburn said with a grin that could only be described as slightly evil, "I think I want be scared."

Oh. Fifield certainly wasn't disappointed with that. Regardless, he tried to act nonchalant, and gave a small shrug. "Sure. Whatever you want."

"Okey dokey," Millburn said, and went to the entertainment center to grab something. Fifield, back on the couch, couldn't help an appreciative once over of his boyfriend. How the biologist managed to put up with him was a miracle, but he certainly wasn't going to argue with fate.

"What about this one?"

"Huh?" Fifield snapped out of his daze.

"I _asked_ you what you thought of this one?" Millburn sighed and held the case out for him to see.

"Oh, is that the one about the scientists in space? I missed that one when it came out in theaters."

"So we're good?"

"Yeah!" Fifield nodded, and with a small smile returning to his face, Millburn came back to the couch.

"Aren't you going to put it in?"

"Only to interrupt our cuddling with the pizza arriving? No thanks." Millburn sat down next to Fifield.

Fifield paused to think. If they had ordered from the place they usually did, it would be here fairly quickly. "Alright," he agreed, shrugging to himself.

"I _guess_ I can deal with not going to the club this weekend," Millburn sighed overdramatically.

This again? Fifield sighed exasperatedly and did the one thing he knew would ameliorate the situation – he put his arm around his boyfriend and drew him closer. "I don't understand why you like that place…All those lights everywhere and the loud music. It drives me crazy."

"I dunno, it's different. It's exciting."

Fifield had always worried a little about his life. He was satisfied with everything, but sometimes he almost felt like Millburn wasn't totally happy with it. As his boyfriend conformed himself to the perfect cuddling position, Fifield sighed mentally.

"Can I ask you something?" he said, beginning to stroke the biologist's arms absently.

"Of course," Millburn said, looking up from his resting place on Fifield's chest.

"You're…happy, aren't you?"

"What?"

"With…us?"

"What are you talking about?" Millburn shifted a little to look up incredulously at Fifield.

"I don't know. Never mind. Maybe I'm just being paranoid," Fifield felt his cheeks grow warm.

"Of course you are." Millburn drew himself up to plant a light kiss on his geologist boyfriend's lips. "But this didn't come out of nowhere…why'd you ask?"

"Sometimes…sometimes I just feel like I'm holding you back from what you really want." The words came out stiff and awkward – or at least, it sounded like it to Fifield. He had never liked talking about his feelings. Never.

"Of course you're not! Don't be silly." Millburn had withdrawn a little bit and was now raising his eyebrows at Fifield.

"But is this really what you want?"

"If it wasn't, would I be here? You of all people should know I'm not afraid to go after what I want."

"I know, but –"

"Is this the club thing?" Millburn frowned. "It's fun, but it's not real. The lights, the music, and the boys all change week to week." He paused. "I mean, that's what makes it fun in the first place, but I don't want to live my life like that, you know?"

Fifield still felt a little skeptical, but otherwise remained silent. He felt the biologist grab his hand, and when he looked at the other man, he found himself looking into his eyes.

"I like having a life with you. I like our place, even if it doesn't have any plants. I like our friends. I like the way that no matter what happens at work or with my family, I know I'll always come home to you. Don't you?" Millburn's tone had lost its usual cheer in favor of somewhat awkward sincerity.

"I do. That's all I want," Fifield said quietly.

"Good. Then that's settled. Not that it should've even been in question," Millburn nodded, leaning in for another kiss. "If you really wanna get sentimental, though, we could talk about buying some nice plants to liven up the-"

"No."

"It was worth a try," Millburn laughed. "For real, though…Don't worry. Okay?"

Fighting his inner stoic, Fifield allowed himself a small smile. "Okay."

"Good. Now, once the pizza comes, we can watch some stupid people get eaten by monsters. That always makes you feel better. That," Millburn smirked, "and J Lo."

"As long as no one knows about that second one," Fifield relented.

"Hmm, I think a nice houseplant would go a long way towards my silence."

"Not in a million years."

"Well then, I think you might have to make it up another way." Millburn went back to pressing himself against Fifield as he leaned in for a kiss. Unlike the other kisses, the contact was prolonged, and Fifield felt himself pull his boyfriend closer.

"I think I can deal with that," he grinned a little after pulling away.

And then just like that, the doorbell rang. Damn. Fifield had completely forgotten about the pizza. As Millburn got up to answer the door, though, his stomach rumbled. Maybe food wasn't such a bad idea right now.

"Good. I hope you like extra anchovies then," Millburn smirked as he opened the door.

Fifield decided that even if he absolutely loathed anchovies, he could put up with this. He could put up with most anything with Millburn at his side. Maybe even a houseplant someday.

Not that he would tell Millburn that in a thousand years, of course.


End file.
